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    Capitol Lunch

    4.1 (221 reviews)
    InexpensiveHot Dogs, Burgers, Fast Food
    Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Capitol Lunch Photos

    CAPITOL LUNCH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Avery's Soda (Weiner Water)
    Abby R.

    An iconic staple of the Connecticut hot dog scene, and after trying this place out for the first time, I can see why. Stepping in, the restaurant vibe is incredibly retro. And the prices are great too! I believe they've gone up a bit since previous reviews--the famous dog is now $3.99. Still quite the steal for a hotdog with a heaping serving of onions, mustard, and "famous sauce," which I quickly came to realize was ground beef and some spices. The sauce is a bit drier than a typical chili, but it's certainly a fun addition to a hot dog. I certainly enjoyed it. Plus, they serve Avery's sodas here! I got the "Weiner Water" flavor (orange and lemon), it felt appropriate given all the hot dogs. Service was immediate, even during a lunch rush. I walked up to the counter, ordered, and my hotdog was in front of me in seconds. It was great! The employees and I chatted about the silly soda name and everyone was incredibly kind and conversational. I had a great experience here and will be back again!

    Dog with everything delicious
    Munchy R.

    Hotdogs here are amazing been coming here since I was a child. chilli on the dogs or on a cheeseburger very tasty. staff here are awesome will recommend to everyone.

    Famous dog.  Natural casing with mustard, onions,and sauce.

    We went today and got the famous dog and BLT sandwich. Both were excellent. The hot dog has a great snap and the meat sauce is always consistently great. We come up from Waterbury and it's well worth it.

    Menu
    Nicole F.

    It seems I'm never in the area, so when I am I always have to stop. This place still hasn't changed since the last time I was here a bout 3 years ago. Their "famous hot dog" with the sauce is amazing, and frankly I haven't had comparable dog. Not to mention the martin Russell hotdogs have that infamous "crunch" with each bite. Food was quick and hot. I am not a French fry fan, but the fries were thin, perfectly salted, and best of all hot and fresh. Since I don't come often, I forced myself to eat two hotdogs! Looking forward to the next time I'm back. Tip: if you're paying with card, the prices are a bit more than the menu

    Kathleen S.

    Best hotdogs in Connecticut hands down! I have been eating hotdogs here since I was a kid. This restaurant has been in business as long as I can remember and I understand why!

    One of my closes uncle highly recommend me this place and now that I'm living on the area so do I.
    Manny S.

    Original recipe on their hotdogs, burgers and fries, service was nice and friendly, and the ambiance will compared with a retro dinner style.

    I just drove 2 hours from Boston to Capitol Lunch with my daughter and wife today. I learned of it when my Dad took me when I was a kid. He learned of it when his Dad took him back in the 50's. This was the place my grandfather went to post WW2 as a Staff Sergeant in the 10th Mountain Div, and after working a shift at Stanley Works. Got some chili to-go and bought some dogs from Rosol's down the road. Back in Boston now with my daughter and we're making Cappy's w/ everything tonight. Thanks for the 4 generations of memories! Oh...and "always ask for Avery's"

    Dan R.

    "Things will get better soon, I gotta hunch The three martini lunch Wasting another afternoon, punching a hole in my life" (Graham Parker) Want an inexpensive and satisfying lunch? Well, it's hard to do better than we did at Capitol Lunch yesterday. Definitely a No Frills kind of place, but the value, taste, and overall experience of our lunch visit yesterday was fantastic. No, you won't find any truffle fries or goat cheese here, but what you will find is an unpretentious menu with hot dogs between $2.49 and $2.99, Fries for $2.69 and rings for $3.39. If you want to be a big spender you can get a freshly made quarter pound burger for $5.39. Hot Dogs are king here, and its been that way for 90 years. My hot dog was fantastic, a good sized hot dog with ketchup, onions, and their famous chili-like meat sauce on a pillowy soft fresh as can be roll. For $2.99 it was fantastic. We split an order of their $2.69 fries that was big enough to easily share. Don't be put off by Capitol's "Hole in the Wall" appearance. We enjoyed everything about our visit -the ordering line moved fast as lightning, and the counter folks were friendly and helpful. But best of all, we loved our food and the fantastic prices.

    Two dogs with everything, plus fries, rings, and a drink
    Kathy W.

    When in Idaho, you gotta get a potato. And when in New Britain, it's all about the hot dogs. Capitol Lunch is a classic, in business since 1929. Yes, they also offer burgers, but most people - and there are a LOT of them - come for the hot dogs. At $8.99, the combo (2 dogs, fries or onion rings, and a fountain drink) is a pretty good deal. The steady crowds are no match for the staff's efficiency. They've got this down to a science. You're through the line quickly and enjoying your meal in no time. Park in the New Brite lot across the street so you don't have to negotiate Main Street parking.

    Joanne S.

    A wonderful Yelp CT evening out at the Capital Lunch (the hotdog with our famous "CAPPY"sauce. Also a special touch of the grape kool-aid that was offered that I haven't had since I was kid. This place that so many people have been and has been around since 1929. The meat sauce is so yummy and a perfect touch which I had on both my hotdog and my hamburger along with the nacho cheese sauce. I also tried the onion rings and bacon cheese fries which were delicious. The Capital Lunch has been voted best hotdog for 2022 and pretty much every year before. The owner Author explained all of the history of this restaurant. Along he shared rhe story behind each picture that's display on the walls from back in 1929. Great hole in the wall place to visit in the heart of New Britain.

    National HotDog Day today and hotdog capital of connecticut!!!
    Scott C.

    In the city of New Britain it was declared today by the mayor of New Britain that the city is the HotDog CAPITOL of the state of Connecticut and if not the entire country. Spent the better part of 50+years getting Hotdogs from here and always KISS keeping it so simple. Service is always top notch as always they move quick so you need to have a game plan before your at the counter. For me it's always a HotDog with mustard, ketchup, and of course the secret sauce. Can remeber as a kid walking down there from Daly Ave with my Dad and Granpa and always asking what's the secret sauce. Worker wlways said its a secret. Love it and always Rosols HotDog steamed and finished on the flat top to give it that snap!!!!!

    Famous Combo with Rings and Fries

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    4 years ago

    Just a cool unassuming place. Serve quality hot dogs made right in New Britain. Friendly staff and reasonable prices, what's not to love.

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    5 years ago

    I have been going to Capital Lunch since I was a kid. Even though there are nee owners I still love the chili and and hot dogs!

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    Looks can be deceiving! After over 59 years they must be doing something right aside from amazing, friendly customer service...

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    Business owner information

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    Arthur V.

    Thanks you!

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    Arthur V.

    Thank you very much!

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    5 years ago

    My favorite dog. They have the most interesting mear sauce. Add onions and mustard, perfection!

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    Page 3 of 6

    Ask the Community - Capitol Lunch

    What meat are the hot dogs?

    Martin Rosol hot dogs. A combination of pork and beef.

    I realize this is a ridiculous question. Any chance the sauce is gluten free? Gluten comes from wheat (regular flour), rye, and barley and is typically an ingredient in soy…

    I’m sorry the sauce is not gluten free.

    What year did it originally open?

    1929

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Riley's Hot Dog & Burger Gourmet

    Riley's Hot Dog & Burger Gourmet

    4.6
    (295 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    My husband isn't exactly a hot dog guy. So I got a sideways look when I suggested that we try this…read moreplace out for lunch....but after our meal, he said that he'd never had a specialty hot dog before and really enjoyed this! How could you not like this place?! Great atmosphere, friendly staff and an awesome menu. We tried the reuben dog, taco dog and guilty pleasure dog with the Cajun fries. Dogs are messy but fun.... loved the taco dog! Cajun fries were too salty but appreciate that they are made in house! (Wish they had sweet potato fries with a fun dipping sauce though!) Can't wait to go back and try more creations!

    Riley's is much nicer inside than you'd ever expect from a hot dog place. There's a lot of space,…read moreeverything is clean, and the whole setup has a trendy industrial feel that works really well. Even the bathrooms were noticeably nice, particularly for such a fast-paced lunch spot. I had the Chicago Dog and the House Dog. We've been on the hunt for a good Chicago dog that's, you know... closer than Chicago, so I was glad to see one on the menu. It was quite good, but not what I expected based on the ones I remember from Chicago. This version leaned heavier on the relish and toppings, didn't have the bright green relish, and ended up a little messier overall. It did match exactly what the menu described, though, so that part's on me for not reading it more closely. All that micro-complaining aside, I'd get it again--though I may first try to work through the extensive menu a bit. There are some great options, and you should expect to struggle deciding (maybe check the menu in advance). The House Dog was delicious, but also pretty messy--definitely grab some napkins. Prices were a tiny bit higher than I'd expect for hot dogs, but the quality, presentation, and overall vibe seemed aligned with that. Overall, Riley's is a great option if you want a nicer sit-down hot dog experience with lots of choices and a comfortable atmosphere. I'd go back, especially to try more of the specialty dogs.

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    Doogie's

    Doogie's

    3.6
    (187 reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $

    Hadn't been here in years and glad my co-worker suggested it. Our food was amazing and order ready…read moreat time promised. Will definitely return

    My wife and I went here twice for the Tuesday Special, A Two-foot dog, Fries and Soda…read more On our visits we were greeted by happy employees. They made us feel welcome and were very helpful to us newbies. Our orders were taken and we were explained the process. Most of the condiments are self-serve. Both times I had the chili, yellow mustard and onions. My wife had Cole Slaw on her first one and Sauerkraut and mustard the second week. We made quite the mess but enjoyed the food. The hot dogs are very tasty and cooked just the way I we like them, a little char but not burnt. We had to cut the dogs into quarters and the rolls held up fine. The chili, while it tastes good is a little bland and my wife would have liked a little more flavor in the Sauerkraut too. The order of fries is large, hot and crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The store is a nostalgic walk into the past with retro fixtures, tables and decorations. It's fun to read the 45's that line the walls while enjoying these dogs. The dogs are a novelty and are good enough to come back for. They have an extensive menu and I'm tempted to try the other offerings but the Two-Foot dogs always call me back.

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    2-Foot Man Vs. Food Dog w/Sweet Potato Fries and 12" Cheesesteak
    2-Foot Man Vs. Food Dog w/Sweet Potato Fries and 12" Cheesesteak
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    Frankie's

    Frankie's

    3.2
    (58 reviews)
    4.3 mi

    The food was AMAZING. Hot dog, curly fries, cheeseburgers and waffles fries were awesome. The…read morecustomer service was superb. The place was very clean and neat.. Everyone was pleasant and friendly. I would recommend anyone to go and enjoy .

    Geez, this had to be the worst visit ever at Frankie's…read more Here the place was hopping, people were happy, was it me? Met a friend here for a quick bite to eat. My friend ordered a cheeseburger, the small one, with lettuce and tomato on it, along with I think a lemonade I took a chance on the special which was loaded french fries. Steak fries with cheese whiz, bacon bits, sour cream and a little bit of chives. I also ordered a Pepsi. The bill came to $22 and change for the two of us. Keep that in mind as I further write. The cheeseburger, the quarter pound one, included one little little slice of lettuce and a very thin slice of tomato. The beef on the cheeseburger looked gray, and pink inside like it wasn't even cooked up to temperature. This was absolutely gross, served on a non toasted Sesame seed roll. He thought it was awful. He ate half of it. Now for my loaded french fries.... The french fries were so soggy , that if they didn't look like french fries they could be mistaken for mashed potatoes, loaded with an extremely salty cheese whiz, and what looked like bacon bits instead of natural bacon on top, chives, and sour cream. It would've been nice if there was chili on this instead, but nope. For $7.99, the serving was extremely small, probably good for a six-year-old. Barely edible, I ate about a quarter of it and just pushed it aside saying I'm done. I can't even imagine the salt content that was in this. I know one thing for sure it was extremely high! This had to be one of the worst things I have ever been served in any restaurant. Stick to the hotdogs as they are safe For the money spent, we would've been better off going to Chili's.

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    Main dining room
    Main dining room
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    Carol's Lunchbox

    Carol's Lunchbox

    4.5
    (50 reviews)
    5.8 mi
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    Pulled in for dinner on this Thursday night to a full parking lot. Then I realized half the parking…read morelot was getting paved and was blocked off. Greeted warmly by the server-cashier and possibly one of the owners. This place has counter service where you order there, pay for it, leave the tip, and then the server brings the food out to your table. I ordered the special fish sandwich and french fries. $16.95 And a can of Coca-Cola. My accountant ordered the cheeseburger, with ketchup and onion, and french fries. $15.95 He also ordered the lemonade iced tea. Within 10 minutes, the food arrived at our table. The fish sandwich was deep fried perfectly on a really nice soft roll with lettuce and tartar sauce. Unfortunately, the fish wasn't seasoned fully to my liking nor salted. Also, no lemon was on the side to squirt on the fish sandwich. The fish was lacking any flavor other than the tartar sauce. This was a big disappointment. The french fries were very good, but it was like a kid size portion for like a three-year-old. Come on now I'm paying $17, give me at least a handful of french fries. Not eight! My accountant who ordered the cheeseburger picked the winner. It was a thick well seasoned piece of beef cooked, medium rare, and he said it was delicious. He also received a ration portion of french fries. I paid a lot of money for two sandwiches, a little bit of french fries, and two drinks. I bet it was close to $43 with 20% tip. This was no bargain. The seating at the restaurant was OK. Our table top was loose and a little bit sticky. The restrooms were marginal. There flies flying around. So overall cleanliness was a little bit disappointing....come on now! I'm glad I got to try Carol's new place. If I come again, it's gonna be for the hotdog special and eat it outside.

    I recently learned that Taste of Home recognized Carol's Lunch Box for the best hot dog in CT…read more That's pretty much an instant visit situation for me. Carol's has a small structure where they prepare the food, and there are some nearby picnic tables. Carol's uses bun length Martin Rosol's dogs, and I'm on record as a fan of Rosol's denser than typical hot dogs. Carol's fully steams the dogs, which distinguishes them from other top CT places. I can't say this way my favorite way to prepare a Rosol dog. I think at least partial grilling brings something extra to a dense dog like a Rosol. Carol's has some specialty dogs and build your own options. They're probably about average in terms of the number of topping options. I ordered a Reuben dog and a Chili Dog with mustard and onions. The kraut and chili are both above average for CT. I like that Carol's has the Thousand Island dressing to go with the kraut. That's pretty unique for hot dog spots. But Carol's super power may be the house spicy pepper relish. I didn't order this on my dog, but I met Carol. After hearing it was my first time, Carol offered me a sample of the House Relish. For me, the flavors are more well balanced than one of CT's famous pepper relishes. I was a big fan and I would probably get a dog with just the relish next time I visit. If you like to sample all the best CT hot dog contenders, add Carol's to your list. 4.25 Stars

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    Hungry Bull Burger

    Hungry Bull Burger

    4.8
    (152 reviews)
    3.8 mi
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    We came out to visit our daughter who took us to the Hungry Bull Burger. I can see how this place…read morecan be overlooked, but is definitely one to stop in and give them a try. We sampled the Disco Fries, which were very good. A definite item to order. We also tried the garlic parm tots that were good. I tried the Brisket sandwich , with the horseradish on the side. Sandwich was excellent. I am not a horseradish type of guy. But I put a little on the sandwich. Hot, but still flavorful. My guests had their special burger, and thought it was excellent. Place is a definite one to go to. Owners are very personable, making you feel worthy, and they a genuinely glad you stopped in.

    After reading the great reviews about this place my wife and I had to try it for our "Hot Dog…read moreTuesday" lunch. I don't give out 5 stars easily. This little unassuming place deserves every one of them! As soon as we walked in we were greeted by a very friendly man at the counter who seated us and brought menus. He turned out to be very helpful finding out this was our first time here. The store was well lit and clean. The tables were well spaced and not crowded in. My wife stuck to our tradition and ordered the RT 10 Dog with the spicy relish on the side. (Which was great for me) I couldn't resist The Hungry Bull burger. We'll just have to come back again for me to try their hotdogs. The 10' hot dog is a Martin Rosol's so the foundation of this hot dog is super strong. The sauerkraut was tasty and full flavored and just the right amount of mustard. My wife tried the spicy relish, that our server cheerfully supplied on the side, and it was a little too hot for her liking. Bonus for me. I got to put it on my burger. My burger came out stacked on a sturdy Brioche Roll with American cheese, onion straws and some very tasty horseradish crema. My burger was juicy and full of flavor. The onion straws brought the right amount of crunch. Halfway through I began to add in the spicy relish. Amazing. We got fries and onion rings and shared. The fries were big, crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. Just the way I like them. The onion rings were amazing. I like when you bite into an onion ring and the whole onion doesn't come sliding out. These were perfect. Very good crunch and flavor. We have already decided that we will be back. I can't wait to try the hot dogs and the chicken sandwiches that were also calling my name.

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    Top Dog

    Top Dog

    4.3
    (20 reviews)
    10.8 mi
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    I've wanted to visit Top Dog's roadside trailer in Portland for years, but they were never open…read morewhen I drove by. I understand that the trailer is presently known as Missy's Top Dog at least in some circles. I'm not sure if that's a change. When the Channel 3 Best Hot Dog in CT bracket was released, I noticed Missy's Top Dog was on it. I was able to get there shortly before their 3 pm closing recently. I'm a fan. First of all, although they were closing soon, there was a steady stream of people while I was in the area. There was never a long line, but I was not able to take a pic of the hot dog shaped trailer without a person blocking the sign. MTD is the only place I know of using Thumann's Hit Dogs from New Jersey. MTD steams the dogs and it looked like they had a bit of a dirty water thing maybe going on. MTD has several specialty dogs, but nothing too far out of the ordinary. I ordered a Cajun with "Orleans Relish", chili and pepper jack. I really liked the dog, especially for a steamed dog. Nice flavor. Nice snap. The toppings worked really well together. The chili sauce was meaty and not heavily seasoned. The relish provided a nice jolt of sweet acidity. I also ordered the MTD clasic dog, which had artfully layered catsup, mustard, relish and onions. Same tasty, snappy dog. Nice ratio of toppings. I'm assuming Missy was the person helping me because she seemed to have the confidence and pride of an owner. She was very friendly and engaging in my brief time speaking with her. Since the dogs were steamed, they came out right away. I can't say Missy's Top Dog's cracks my Top Tier of CT Dogs, but it's just a tier down and I enthusiastically recommend MTD, even if you have to drive a bit out of your way. 4.25 Stars

    Went their in the fall. I don't know where they get their hot dogs from but they have a great snap…read moreand I found it quite tasty. I like a good hot dog and Connecticut has some great places to get them. I would put this little place on that list.

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    Capitol Lunch - hotdog - Updated June 2026

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